Earth
Earth is the third planet in the Solar system and capital of the Planetary Union. It is home to the space-capable species, Humans. Old Earth The planet of the 21st century and earlier is frequently referred to as "Old Earth"Claire Finn: "My God, it looks remarkably a lot like Old Earth." Episode 1x07: Majority Rule Ed Mercer: "Old Earth. Yeah, like 400 years ago." Episode 2x04: Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes and "ancient history,"Kelly Grayson. Episode 2x08: Identity, Pt. 1 an age remembered as a "dark time" in Human history.Episode 1x07: Majority Rule According to Captain Ed Mercer, by 2015, Earth stood at the brink of a major climate disaster that humanity actively attempted to ignore. Of this time, First Officer Kelly Grayson comments, "It's a miracle the human race survived."Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions Humans of Old Earth oscillated between "periods of enlightenment and tyranny,"Kaylon Primary. Episode 2x08: Identity, Pt. 1 and the Kaylon say of Earth's past: Billions have been killed as a consequence of war, slavery, genocide, and persecution. Greed, individualism, and competition have been the governing principles of Human society.Kaylon Primary. Episode 2x08: Identity, Pt. 1 Knowledge of Old Earth by contemporary Humans is uneven due to the passage of time. For example, Commander Kelly Grayson of the [[USS Orville|USS Orville]] knows that the capital of the former United States of America was Washington, D.C., but Helmsman Gordon Malloy does not.It is possible that this can be explained due to the latter's well-documented ignorance of Earth's history. Episode 1x03: About a Girl Modern Earth By the early 24th century, Earth is a unified planet with a single representative government in the Planetary Union.Earth is part of the Planetary Union in this time in ''New Beginnings, Pt. 1''. Membership in the Union ends humanity's cycle of tyranny and propels them toward a more civilized society.According to Ed Mercer, membership in the Union ended the "oscillation between enlightenment and tyranny." Quote by Kaylon Primary. Episode 2x08: Identity, Pt. 1 Earth is the host world of the Union, and maintains the Union Dockyard, a large docking station for spacecraft. Cityscapes are a melange of modern buildings with sleek curves and classical architecture of Old Earth. New York City boasts a city-wide monorail and commuter pods allow for quick, easy transportation.Episode 1x01: Old Wounds Apartments are common leaseholds in cities.Episode 1x02: Command Performance. Besides New York, several other former nations or states continue to exist as regions in the 25th century: Japan,Episode 1x06: Krill Saint Lucia,Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain New JerseyEpisode 2x11: Lasting Impressions and Maryland.Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain However, these places are no longer politically independent entities as they had been in Old Earth.Note that First Officer Kelly Grayson speaks of the United States and Washington, D.C. in the past tense. Episode 1x03: About a Girl The sizes of cities of modern Earth are relatively unchanged after 400 years. Baltimore, Maryland's size is still 210 square kilometersEpisode 2x06: A Happy Refrain and New York City continues to be approximately 790 square kilometers.Episode 1x04: If the Stars Should Appear Doctor Claire Finn describes modern Baltimore as always having something "to see and do: music, art, live performances."Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain The city has one of the best symphonies in North America. Helmsman Gordon Malloy tells Laura Huggins that not many women in modern New Jersey attempt music careers while working in retail.Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions New York Several locations of New York are identified: * Albany - A large city that Doctor Sherman states still exists in the 25th century. * New York City * Saratoga Springs - An Old Earth city and home to Laura Huggins and her friends. ** In 2015, "some people" in Laura's town decide to bury a time capsule and Laura includes her cell phone. Battle of Earth The Kaylon attack Earth and its moon in January or February 2421 in an attempt to destroy the Union and wipe out all biological life but a temporary alliance of the Union and Krill successfully fend them off. Culture Humans of Earth continue to own cats,Episode 1x11: New Dimensions dogs,Episode 7: Majority Rule and hamsters, as domesticated pets, but zoos are seen as barbaric.Episode Two: Command Performance. The British tale Peter Rabbit remains a common bedtime story for children.Episode 1x08: Into the Fold. Humans enjoy bowling for recreation.Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain Cigarettes were abandoned in Old Earth and, according to Claire, "no one has smoked on Earth in hundreds of years."Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions Neither phones nor phone numbers are used.Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions Religion Earth is implied to have become a post-religious society, abandoning spirituality as technology progresses and secular ethics supplant the need for dogma.See generally ''Episode 1x06: Krill Teleya even calls the Planetary Union "godless." However, some Humans have adopted religious beliefs independent of society, such as Celeste, Karx, Franz, and Doctor Darden.Episode 1.5x03: The Word of Avis, Pt. 1 Arts Earth of the 25th century mixes artistic achievements of the past with the present. Television shows like ''Seinfeld,Episode 1x05: Pria the songs of Bruce Springsteen,Episode 2x09: Identity, Pt. 2 and movies like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,''Episode 1x03: About a Girl ''The King and I, and The Sound of Music''Episode 1x04: If the Stars Should Appear are treasured as "classics" but American reality television programming and the music of Billy Joel are forgotten by all but media aficionados.Episode 2: Command Performance. Relics of media from Old Earth pepper conversations despite the references occasionally being lost on non-human individuals. For example, Doctor Claire Finn tells Chief of Security Alara Kitan that she will advise Alara as "her Obi-Wan," referring to the ''Star Wars film franchise. Alara, a Xelayan, does not understand Claire's reference.Episode Three: About a Girl Food and beverages Most foods and drinks widely enjoyed in the 20th Century are enjoyed in the 25th as well, such as hamburgers,Episode 1.5x02: New Beginnings, Pt. 2 fries, sushi,Episode 1x06: Krill scotch,Episode 2x04: Nothing Left on Earth Excepting FishesEpisode 2x05: All the World is Birthday CakeEpisode 2x10: Blood of Patriots Chardonnay wine,Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain champagne,Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain whiskey,Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain potato cakes,Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain popcorn, grilled-cheese sandwiches, and soda-pop. * Beer and cannabis edibles are consumed by some, such as Gordon MalloyEpisode One: Old Wounds and Kelly Grayson,Episode 1x02: Command Performance. to calm the nerves. * Ice cream is a "depression food," and rocky road is the flavor most consumed.Episode Four: If the Stars Should Appear * M&M'sEpisode 1x09: Cupid's Dagger and pretzelsEpisode 7: Majority Rule continue to be favored snacks.Episode 1x09: Cupid's Dagger Ed Mercer even orders Bortus to keep pretzels on the Briefing Room table for guests.Episode 7: Majority Rule * Pizza, including pepperoni pizza, is an Earth delicacy favored for celebrationsEpisode One: Old Wounds or just a midday meal.Episode 2x02: Primal Urges Post-scarcity and economy Well before the 25th century,Claire Finn states that this change occurred "long ago." Episode 2x05: All the World is Birthday Cake Union planets, including Earth, entered a post-scarcity economy where most resources are no longer hoarded and money is a thing of the past. Kelly explains that money "became obsolete with the invention of matter synthesis."Episode 11: New Dimensions However, she is careful to note that vices such as greed and ambition have not vanished: "The predominant currency became reputation. The only thing that changed was how we quantify wealth. People still want to be rich, only now rich means being the best at what you do."Episode 11: New Dimensions When asked by the Regorians how a society functions without money, Doctor Claire Finn answers, "We decided a long time ago that forcing people to toil relentlessly in the pursuit of material wealth was an unnatural state for our species to exist in."Episode 2x05: All the World is Birthday Cake Food and matter are generated from stock material through matter synthesis. Food and matter synthesizers helped usher the Union into its post-economy, although items that cannot be synthesized, such as unique goods, continue to be valuable even in the distant future. Alternate timeline In an alternate timeline where Kelly Grayson does not date and eventually marry Ed Mercer, Earth is scoured and all biological life extinguished by the Kaylon in early 2421. Doctor Claire Finn notes that the Kaylon even killed off the Earth's fish. Trivia * Animals still in existence in the 25th century include dolphins.Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain Appearances *''Episode 1x01: Old Wounds'' *''Episode 1x02: Command Performance'' *''Episode 1x03: About a Girl'' *''Episode 1x04: If the Stars Should Appear'' *''Episode 1x05: Pria *Episode 1x06: Krill'' *''Episode 1x07: Majority Rule *Episode 1x08: Into the Fold'' *''Episode 1x11: New Dimensions'' *''Episode 1x12: Mad Idolatry'' *''Episode 1.5x03: The Word of Avis, Pt. 1'' *''Episode 2x04: Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes'''' *[[Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain|''Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain]]'' *[[Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions|''Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions]]'' '' Notes References de:Erde Category:Planets Category:Planetary Union planets Category:Locations